Find Your Perfect Airbnb

Earlier this year we traveled to St Thomas and had the pleasure of staying in a unique Airbnb. It was an open air room overlooking the bright blue waters of Magens Bay. While the pictures were amazing I was nervous as Skylar and I had never stayed in a place quite like the Dovelet. In this article we share about our most recent Airbnb experience and provide tips for finding your perfect Airbnb for your next adventure.

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Finding Our Perfect Airbnb

As we were planning our trip we looked at every single Airbnb available during our trip to St Thomas and St John. We wanted to consider all options. Eventually we had to identify what was most important for our accommodations. We ended up with a long list of places we wanted to visit on the US Virgin Islands and would only be spending time at the Airbnb in the morning and evening. We agreed to a smaller budget to book a small space with an amazing view. We found the Dovelet to be our perfect choice.

It was one of three Airbnbs on the property. The private space may have been small but included everything we needed – a space to cook a few meals, sleep peacefully and shower. The bonus we were most excited about was the view, and it did not disappoint.

Small Accommodations, Big Views

When we arrived we walked down a long flight of stairs to the shared outdoor patio. There was an outdoor bar and an area for grilling. The view from this patio is unforgettable. At this point we thought – who cares what the room looks like, as long as there is a clean bed we will be happy.

When we did enter the Dovelet we were pleasantly surprised. While it was small, it packed in quite a few amenities including a fridge, toaster oven, electric burners, cooking utensils, TV, wifi and a “private” bathroom. This restroom is not shared with any other guests, but the shower for this unit is outdoors. It is in a private area and we found taking outdoor showers to be quite freeing! We could literally do everything with a view of Magens Bay – sip coffee in the morning on the deck, shower, prepare meals and fall fast asleep.

I should say Skylar fell fast asleep. I had a hard time sleeping because I enjoyed the view of the bay in the evening so much. We could still see the water and any vessels docked for the night, we could also see lights from the other homes across the bay. The view was so peaceful and relaxing with the sea breeze coming in through the screens. Ultimately I had worried for nothing and was able to fully enjoy sleeping with the island nature sounds.

While we know accommodations like the Dovelet wouldn’t be perfect for everyone, it was perfect for us on this trip. It was affordable, which allowed us to spend money on other activities, yet the views were priceless! The host was friendly, helpful and accommodating. And if we had decided the open air, outdoor unit was a little too freeing – the host offered two other units that were enclosed, but still shared the outdoor space – The Ladydove and Sweet Cottage. If you are heading to St Thomas and are looking for a similar experience we would recommend checking out each of the listings highlighted in this article. Video footage is located below:

If you are looking for a different experience or destination, keep reading for tips to find your perfect Airbnb.

Finding Your Perfect Airbnb

If you are new to booking on Airbnb then it may be a little nerve wracking to stay at someone’s private home vs a resort or hotel. Here are a few tips to ensure you book a home that is right for you.

1) Identify the Purpose of Your Travel

Are you visiting a new destination to explore and experience the culture? Or are you trying to get away and just relax? Or maybe a mixture of both? The type of experience you are looking for will drive the type of listings you search. If you are wanting a relaxing private getaway where you will spend a lot of time, you may search for private homes with amenities like a pool. If you are planning on exploring most of your days then you may search for a room in a shared home, or a smaller private home without many amenities.

2) Identify your Budget

Once you have decided on your travel destination it is a good idea to do a quick search on the Airbnb site to see the price range of listings available during your travel dates. This will help to set a realistic budget. For example, if you are considering a more expensive destination like St John – you will quickly find that a $90 budget may not provide very many options. If you are set on that destination you may have to adjust your accommodation budget after seeing what is available. The first tip also helps with setting the accommodation budget. If you have planned many activities that cost money, then your accommodation budget may be lower. Once your budget has been set you can adjust the budget range on the Airbnb site to review all of options that fall within your budget.

3) Look for Listings with Superhosts

Superhosts on the Airbnb site are identified with a special badge. If you click on their profile they will be identified as Superhosts. In order to become Superhosts they must meet criteria including: having hosted a certain number of times, maintaining an excellent response rate, receiving a high percentage of 5-star reviews and completing reservations without cancelling. Booking with a Superhost with increase the chances of having an excellent Airbnb experience.

If there are no Superhost listings available where you are traveling or during your travel dates then the next tip will be particularly helpful.

4) Read the Reviews

Only confirmed guests can leave reviews on Airbnb, so the reviews are legit. If you are not sure if an Airbnb is right for you then make sure to read all of the recent reviews. Many guests provide detailed reviews which will help you determine if the listing is what you are looking for.

While we recommend reading the reviews before booking any Airbnb, we highly recommend it if you are not booking with a Superhost. Pay attention to the ratings people are giving and their reasoning for them. If the reviews provide negative feedback then you will have to consider if the prior negative experiences are a deal breaker.

5) Check the Minimum Stay Requirements

Hosts can set minimum stay requirements. If you are only planning to book for a few nights, make sure the listing you are considering allows for shorter stays.

6) Review the Additional Fees

Once you input in possible booking dates the site will calculate the estimated total for the reservation. Some listings will have additional fees for cleaning or for additional guests. You will want to take this into consideration. We’ve seen listings with no cleaning fees and some listing with cleaning fees over $100.

7) Read the House Rules

Many of the listings on Airbnb choose to share their House Rules and many times this will really help to solidify if you are making the right choice for your trip. For example, if the House Rules note that they community has a noise ordinance that is enforced after 10 pm every night and you were looking to book a place to party the night away, then it may not be a good fit. But if you are looking for a tranquil get away – it might just be what you are looking for.

We hope you find some of these tips to be helpful in booking your perfect Airbnb experience. We’ve had great experiences when following these tips. We had such an unforgettable experience in St Thomas that we have to post a few more pictures!

If you’ve booked with Airbnb before, would you add any more tips to this list?

To hear more about Jamie & Skylar’s journey, listen to the podcast interview on “If I Could Tell You One Thing”: